Gulfstream West: G3 Winner Island Commish Makes Florida Return in Showing Up

By David Joseph —-

G3 Winner Island Commish Makes Florida Return in Showing Up

Tournesol Among Stakes-Winning Quartet in Cellars Shiraz

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Tied for second midway through his bid for a second straight Fall Turf Festival meet title, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is taking aim at sweeping the first two of 11 stakes on the Gulfstream Park West calendar.

Joseph will send out Grade 3 winner Island Commish in the $60,000 Showing Up for 3-year-olds and stakes winner Tournesol in the $60,000 Cellars Shiraz for 3-year-old fillies, both going a mile on the grass and serving as co-headliners on Saturday’s nine-race program.

First race post time is noon.

Matthew Schera’s Island Commish returns to Florida for the first time since the spring, when the Commissioner colt was fourth in the 1 1/16-mile English Channel at Gulfstream Park. He captured the Kitten’s Joy (G3), contested at about 7 ½ furlongs also on Gulfstream’s turf course, Jan. 20 to kick off his campaign after back-to-back 7 ½-furlong starter optional victories at Gulfstream West by eight combined lengths.

“He’s gone all over and he’s basically held his health and form and ran well. He’s been a nice, little horse. He tries hard. He’s not very big, but he has a lot of heart. It’s nice to have him back here and hopefully he can put up a good performance on Saturday,” Joseph said.

“This race fits on the calendar because it’s back at home, it’s a mile and he’s run well at Gulfstream Park West; he’s two-for-two,” he added. “We figure it’s a good spot to get him back going.”

Island Commish hasn’t raced since running second to Guildsman in the 6 ½-furlong Franklin-Simpson (G3) Sept. 16 at Kentucky Downs. It was his second straight turf sprint following a fourth-place effort in the 5 ½-furlong Mahony Aug. 26 at Saratoga.

Sent off at nearly 22-1, Island Commish took a 1 ½-length lead into the stretch of the Franklin-Simpson, lost it through the lane but nearly fought all the way back, coming up a neck short in a three-way photo where Souper Dormy was another neck back in third.

“We toyed with the idea of shortening up in trip because we were trying to prep him for that Kentucky Downs race. We shortened up in Saratoga going 5 ½, which was too short but we were using that race as a builder for Kentucky Downs,” Joseph said. “At Kentucky Downs he ran a corker just to get beat at the wire.

“He ran huge. It was a tough beat. It looked like he was going to win and then the horse went by him and he kind of battled back at the end. It was a big race,” he added. “I think that’s what he wants to do. He wants to run between six- and seven-eighths, one-turn, but you don’t get that very often.”

Meet-leading rider Edgard Zayas has the mount from Post 6.

Michael Ryan’s King’s Honor takes a two-race win streak into the Showing Up, his first stakes attempt since finishing off the board behind the lines of Sole Volante and King Guillermo in the one-mile Pulpit last November at Gulfstream.

King’s Honor is two-for-three in 2020 since joining the barn of Laurel Park-based trainer Brittany Russell, who will have a small string in South Florida this winter. Each of his last two wins have come at one mile on the grass, first at Saratoga in a second-level claimer and then in an open entry-level allowance Sept. 17 at Laurel. Samy Camacho rides from Post 1.

“We’ve kind of had a tough go of where to run him with the turf and things like that with 3-year-olds. He’s going to get on the bus and go so hopefully we have a shot in there,” Russell said. “He’s doing great. He’s an easy horse to train. You just kind of try and keep weight on him and keep him happy, which he is. I think the main thing is shipping in and making sure he settles in right down there.”

Also entered are Graceful Kitten, a two-time stakes winner last summer at Gulfstream; 2020 My Frenchman and 2019 Skidmore winner Another Miracle, seventh in the Franklin-Simpson; 2020 Turf Paradise Derby winner Swagsational, unraced since March 7; New York-bred stakes winner Jolting Joe; African Heritage, Alejandro’s Team, Allegedly Perfect, Hero Up, Monforte and Yamato. Like You, Rebelde, With Verve and Youcantcatchcurlin are entered for main track only.

In the Cellars Shiraz, Joseph will send out BHMFR’s Tournesol, a chestnut daughter of Karakonite that rallied to be third, beaten a length, in the one-mile Martha Washington Aug. 8 at Gulfstream, her most recent start.

A neck winner from off the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Portofino Bay July 2 at Gulfstream to cap a two-race win streak, she has finished worse than third once from six career starts with two of her three wins coming at the mile distance.

“We gave her a little break and it’s time to get her back started. It’s a stake and it’s at home, so it’s a good chance to go depending on the weather.” Joseph said. “She’s a nice filly. She obviously won the stake two back and last time she ran third and after that we freshened her up. We feel like she’s coming into the race in decent shape and she should put up a good showing.”

Tournesol has breezed six times at Gulfstream for her return in what will be her Gulfstream West debut. Zayas has the assignment from Post 8.

“She comes from out of it so she’s going to need some pace to chase, so hopefully she gets that,” Joseph said. “She’s a filly that has gotten better and better. She never really trained with much enthusiasm early on but after she got a race under her belt she started to improve, and she’s climbed the ladder gradually.”

Live Oak Plantation homebred American Giant shipped in from the Mid-Atlantic to win the one-mile Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall at Gulfstream West for trainer Mike Trombetta, but has gone winless in five subsequent tries, most recently over a yielding Pimlico Race Course surface Oct. 3 in the Hilltop.

Trombetta also entered Country Life Farm’s Virginia Beach, a front-running winner of the M. Tyson Gilpin for Virginia-breds sprinting 5 ½ furlongs Oct. 9 at Laurel, her grass debut after winning one of three starts on the main track, all at six furlongs.

Rounding out the field are Maries Melody, winner of the about 7 ½-furlong Miss Gracie Sept. 5 on the grass at Gulfstream; Charge Account, a winner of two straight yet to run on turf; Cherokee Sound, Logic N Reason, Mo of the West, Roman d’Oro, and French Group 3-placed Secret Time. Gibberish, Good Credence, Heiressindy and Malibeauty are entered for main track only.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred horseracing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST RACING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, 1/ST LIVE and 1/ST PROPERTIES businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING drives the best-in-class horseracing operations at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, and Gulfstream Park West (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the newly formed operating group for all of 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, GWS and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is horseracing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST LIVE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality by delivering uniquely curated events such as InfieldFest and Pegasus LIV Stretch Village. 1/ST PROPERTIES is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred horseracing on and off the track. For more information please email david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com and visit www.1st.com.